Sarbanes-Oxley, Internal Control, and Cash

Transcription

1 C H A P T E R 7 Sarbanes-Oxley, Internal Control, and Cash Corporate Financial Accounting 13e Warren Reeve Duchac human/istock/360/getty Images

2 Sarbanes-Oxley Act (slide 1 of 2) Sarbanes-Oxley emphasizes the importance of effective internal control and applies only to companies whose stock is traded on public exchanges. o Internal control is defined as the procedures and processes used by a company to: Safeguard its assets. Process information accurately. Ensure compliance with laws and regulations. Sarbanes-Oxley requires companies to maintain effective internal controls over the recording of transactions and the preparing of financial statements.

3 Sarbanes-Oxley Act (slide 2 of 2) Sarbanes-Oxley also requires companies and their independent accountants to report on the effectiveness of the company s internal controls. These reports are required to be filed with the company s annual 10-K report with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

4 Objectives of Internal Control The objectives of internal control are to provide reasonable assurance that: o Assets are safeguarded and used for business purposes. o Business information is accurate. o Employees and managers comply with laws and regulations.

5 Employee Fraud A serious concern of internal control is preventing employee fraud. Employee fraud is the intentional act of deceiving an employer for personal gain.

6 Elements of Internal Control The three internal control objectives can be achieved by applying the five elements of internal control. These elements are as follows: o Control environment o Risk assessment o Control procedures o Monitoring o Information and communication

7 Control Environment The control environment is the overall attitude of management and employees about the importance of controls.

8 Cash Cash includes coins, currency (paper money), checks, and money orders. Money on deposit with a bank or other financial institution that is available for withdrawal is also considered cash. Cash is the asset most likely to be stolen or used improperly in a business.

9 Cash Received from Cash Sales (slide 1 of 2) To protect cash from theft and misuse, a business must control cash from the time it is received until it is deposited in a bank. An important control to protect cash received in over-the-counter sales is a cash register.

10 Cash Received from Cash Sales (slide 2 of 2) Salespersons may make errors in making change for customers or in ringing up cash sales. If there is a cash shortage, the Cash Short and Over account is debited for the shortage. If there is a cash overage, the Cash Short and Over account is credited for the overage. At the end of the accounting period, a debit balance in Cash Short and Over is included in miscellaneous expense on the income statement. Alternatively, a credit balance is included in the Other Income section of the income statement.

11 Cash Received in the Mail or EFT Cash is received in the mail when customers pay their bills. This cash is usually in the form of checks and money orders. o Most companies design their invoices so that customers return a portion of the invoice, called a remittance advice, with their payment. This document helps to control cash received in the mail. Cash may also be received from customers through electronic funds transfers (EFT). For example, customers may authorize automatic electronic transfers from their checking accounts to pay monthly bills for such items as cell phone, Internet, and electric services.

12 Control of Cash Payments

13 Voucher System The control of cash payments should provide reasonable assurance that: o Payments are made for only authorized transactions. o Cash is used effectively and efficiently. A voucher system is a set of procedures for authorizing and recording liabilities and cash payments. A voucher is any document that serves as proof of authority to pay cash or issue an electronic funds transfer. o For the purchase of goods, a voucher is supported by the supplier s invoice, a purchase order, and a receiving report.

14 Cash Paid by EFT Cash can also be paid by electronic funds transfer (EFT) systems.

15 Bank Statement (slide 1 of 5) Banks usually maintain a record of all checking account transactions. A summary of all transactions, called a bank statement, is mailed, usually each month, to the company (depositor) or made available online.

16 Bank Statement (slide 2 of 5) The company s checking account balance in the bank records is a liability. Thus, in the bank s records, the company s account has a credit balance. Because the bank statement is prepared from the bank s point of view, a credit memo entry on the bank statement indicates an increase (a credit) to the company s account. Likewise, a debit memo entry on the bank statement indicates a decrease (a debit) in the company s account.

17 Bank Statement (slide 3 of 5) A bank makes credit entries (issues credit memos) for the following: o Deposits made by electronic funds transfer (EFT) o Collections of notes receivable for the company o Proceeds for a loan made to the company by the bank o Interest earned on the company s account o Correction (if any) of bank errors

18 Bank Statement (slide 4 of 5) A bank makes debit entries (issues debit memos) for the following: o Payments made by electronic funds transfer (EFT) o Service charges o Customer checks returned for not sufficient funds o Correction (if any) of bank errors

19 Bank Statement (slide 5 of 5) The following types of credit or debit memo entries are found on a bank statement: o EC: Error correction to correct bank error o NSF: Not sufficient funds check o SC: Service charge o ACH: Automated clearing house entry for electronic funds transfer o MS: Miscellaneous item such as collection of a note receivable on behalf of the company or receipt of a loan by the company from the bank

20 Bank Reconciliation (slide 1 of 2) A bank reconciliation is an analysis of the items and amounts that result in the cash balance reported in the bank statement to differ from the balance of the cash account in the ledger. The adjusted cash balance determined in the bank reconciliation is reported on the balance sheet.

21 Bank Reconciliation (slide 2 of 2)

22 Petty Cash Fund (slide 1 of 2) It is usually not practical for a business to write checks to pay small amounts for such items as postage, office supplies, or minor repairs. Thus, it is desirable to control such payments by using a special cash fund, called a petty cash fund.

23 Petty Cash Fund (slide 2 of 2) A petty cash fund is established by estimating the amount of payments needed from the fund during a period, such as a week or a month. A check is then written and cashed for this amount. The money obtained from cashing the check is then given to an employee, called the petty cash custodian, who disburses monies from the fund as needed. When a petty cash fund is replenished, the accounts debited are determining by summarizing the petty cash receipts. A check is

24 Special-Purpose Funds Companies often use other cash funds for special needs, such as payroll or travel expenses. Such funds are called specialpurpose funds.

25 Financial Statement Reporting of Cash A company may temporarily have excess cash. This excess cash is normally invested in highly liquid investments in order to earn interest. These investments are called cash equivalents. Banks may require that companies maintain minimum cash balances in their bank accounts. Such a balance is called a compensating balance and is normally disclosed in notes to the financial statements. A compensating balance is often required by the bank as part of a loan agreement or line of credit.

26 Financial Analysis and Interpretation: Ratio of Cash to Monthly Cash Expenses The ratio of cash to monthly cash expenses is useful for assessing how long a company can continue to operate without additional financing or generating positive cash flows from operations. The ratio of cash to monthly cash expenses is computed as follows: Ratio of Cash to Monthly Cash Expenses = Monthly Cash Expenses = Cash as of Year-End Monthly Cash Expenses Negative Cash Flow from Operations 12